I Love Meditation
B reathing Meditation - Sit down, think "inhale" on the in breath, think "exhale" on the out breath, and let those be your only thoughts. Benefits include peace of mind and equanimity about current physical and social states. This is an introductory kind of meditation, and a way to train your mind for Zazen, sitting without thinking. Zazen is a form of Vipassina, or meditation done for insight
Affirmation Meditation - Sit down, repeat an inspirational phrase in your mind for a set number of recitations or a set amount of time. You can recite it orally for an increased effect. Benefits depend on the subject matter of the words in the affirmation. Whether it's "I love myself," "I forgive myself," or "I am rich" you will begin to think of all the reasons it is true and believe it more as you recite it. Keeping your mind blank of thoughts other than your affirmation is beneficial, but not necessary.
Metta - Sit down, wish yourself well, wish each of your closest friends and family well, wish your acquaintances well, wish the least liked person in your life well, then wish all beings in the universe well. Benefits include increased compassion and a pleasant feeling of love. Metta wishing can have multiple stages "may I be healthy, may I be blessed, may I have happiness and the causes of happiness, may I have freedom from suffering and the causes of freedom." Metta wishing can also involve the invocation of God, making it a form of prayer as well as meditation.
Deity Meditation - Sit down, focus on an iconic religious image important to you, concentrate on this physical image until you can see it vaguely when you close your eyes, then concentrate on this after-image. Benefits include comfortability with the religious concept. This can be a statue of the buddha, an image of jesus, a cross, a cresant, or any other other image that has meaning to you, though simpler ones may work better. This will bring your mind in attunement with all associations you have with that image.
Divination Meditation - Using an alphabet of divination, perform deity meditation with each character until you can recall the after-image by concentration alone. If done with an alphabet of runes, or the I Ching, this will allow you perform divination without a physical set of stones, sticks, or cards. Simply ask a question, clear your mind, and allow the relevant after-image to appear
Yoga - Do any standard yoga exercise while concentrating on your breath, as in breathing meditation, and also concentrating on the muscle being stretched or exercised. Benefits inclue physical, as well as mental, fitness and relaxation. Putting your mind in the exercise will both make it more effective and allow to clean and relax your mind at the same time your exercising your body.
